Apple’s iPhone introduced a touch interface operated by fingers, not a pen. It included gestures like multi-finger zoom and scrolling by “flicking.” The virtual keyboard, with its lack of tactile feedback, took getting used to.

Most early handhelds sported tiny keys that reduced even touch typists to hunt-and-peck. In the mid 1990s, effective handwriting recognition—and the two-thumb keyboards popularized by RIM—offered relief.

Handle With Care

If you can carry your computer, you can drop it. That wasn’t a danger with mainframes.

Ruggedness was suddenly important, and “drop testing” became part of every design cycle. Engineers had to balance durability with cost. Military mobile computers emphasized ultimate toughness. Consumer products are strong enough to be practical…but no more.

The rugged Scout featured water-resistant magnesium construction, rubber bumpers to absorb shock, a floating hard drive suspension and communication with the home office over the ARDIS digital data network.